Killing

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Police: 3 1/2 year run comes to an end in Middle East

By WILLIAM MITCHELL, Associated Press Writer Mon August 11, 2008, 3:37AM;ET

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KABUL, AF - After a 3 1/2 year run with no leads, FBI turns to Passport Control Officials for support. Gregory S. Watkins, Jr 35, has been arrested on murder charges at his place of employment. Watkins is being held in the Kabul City jail awaiting a bond hearing with the appointment of an attorney and possible extradition to the US.

Police said Watkins' murder spree began with the murder of Keith L. Fewell, 41, in Hinesville, Ga. Fewell was found with a single gunshot wound to the head in a secluded wooded area five miles south of Ft. Stewart. The body was discovered badly decayed by burn control personnel.

AP Photo: This undated photo provided by Kabul City District (AF.) Police's office shows Gregory Watkins.

Watkins has been known for at least 12 killings in the Hinesville-Savannah area. Kabul Police Chief Abdullah Allheed said Watkins was arrested Sunday afternoon at Zalid Wahid INC, a warehouse where he has been employed by DRS Technologies, which has recently been purchased by an Italian firm for 6 billion dollars.

The arrest was not made easily. Watkins, a 14 year veteran of the US Army, acted as if he knew that the operation was about to unfold. He walked around with a German Shepard that everyone calls "Cujo" on a leash. Police shot and killed the dog as Watkins wounded nine members of the Afghan Police Department with an array of punches, bricks,and a pocket knife.

Afghan Police say Watkins will be held in Afghanistan to await assault charges, and possibly murder if 1 of the 9 officers die from wounds inflicted during the arrest. Abdullah said, "I have never seen a man put up such a fight against 9 of my officers during an arrest. If not for the direct orders of the FBI we would have killed him."

Abdullah said Watkins, the father of four children in the United States, is being charged with murder in a separate case involving a local Afghan store owner who was crossing the street and was a victim of a hit and run. Watkins was identified by the victims' widow and children.

FBI Agent, Thomas Roelofs said there were no signs of Watkins. "It was like he fell off the face of the earth". That's when he turned to Passport Control and observed that he has been in and out of the Middle East for 28 months. Savannah Police had information on a gold Nissan that was seen speeding away after several gunshots were fired which resulted in the deaths of Andre McKinley, 29, and Darryl Woodward, 34, both of Savannah, Ga.

NPR: Alaska Wieghs Stevens
Indictment

McClatchy Newspapers:
Obama responds with a
Statement on the international
incident involving Watkins.....

Police say he has possible ties with the opium trade in Afghanistan that extends to Pakistan, India, and China. After the arrest, FBI and the US Army searched his room finding documents with dates of opium trades and transportation. A letter was found with opium residue and a decoded message that is send out only by Wali Samim Nassery, a known drug-overlord asking Watkins to assist in the transportation of the opium to America every 6 months.

Fellow employees and friends of Watkins are in disbelief. Mark Florville says, "Greg is my friend. He could never kill anyone. All he ever talked about was his children and making a better future for them. When I saw the police coming after him [Watkins], I just knew it was a mistake".

Roelofs told reporters, "The murders alone gets him life in jail or the death penalty. The conspiracy to transport drugs into the US carries a maximum of life in prison. Being caught with as little as a bottle of beer in Afghanistan gets your hand cut off. May God have mercy on this guy. He has no way out".